No Surrendering!

Ella's first 2 weeks have been great. She is really calm and peaceful. She eats like a champ, and sleeps like the rest of the Schram family - so we'll keep her! The other kids had a rough couple of weeks, but today they're seeming a lot more like "normal".
Grace's 3rd birthday is on Monday and she is SO excited about her getting "3" and chocolate cake, and Grandma and Grandpa are coming. I think she's said that a couple dozen times already today.
Adding another baby to the mix really did bring an incredible amount of joy to our home - but in the middle of last week, both David and I were sleep-deprived and really feeling grumpy. And in the few moments where it was just me and the 3 kids, it got pretty chaotic, so I was starting to really wonder if I could do this all day with just me and the kids. The disharmony only lasted for a couple days, but I definitely do not want it to be welcome here.
At church we've had a different sort of battle cry lately - "I will not surrender my joy!" I definitely feel like we had to fight for it recently, but it is here. Joy in perfect measure for the 5 of us.
David went back to work this week, and so far - I've managed without him. It was really great to have him here the last 2 weeks, although I know he had to go back to work. I'm so thankful that he has a job where he can afford to be with us when we need him.

Ella Joy

I'm not entirely sure if it was the "buffalo chicken chili" or the Cornerstone prayer meeting - or maybe she was just ready to be born. Whatever it was, I went into labor at midnight Wednesday night. I knew it was the real deal, but I also knew it wasn't time to go running to the hospital. So, I paced, rested, did some last minute chores, bounced on the exercise ball, anything I could think of to move things along. I knew David would be waking up soon to go to work, and I could tell him to call-in instead - and hopefully the kids could sleep a bit longer before we had to make our trip to the hospital. I couldn't have asked for better timing for any of it. By the time I was having a lot of trouble with my contractions, the kids were waking up, and we were getting them ready to go. We dropped them off at Kristin's around 7am, and made our way in the "morning commute traffic" to St. Luke's. I had a couple more monster contractions on the way - and one in the parking of the hospital, so I knew things were moving along. Within 1 hour of being admitted, I had already been moved to a delivery room, had an epidural and had my water broken. Around 10:45am, Ella was born. 7lbs, 2oz - 18inches, beautiful and very petite. This was by far the most pleasant birth experience we've had, and we are so thankful for that. Ella and I stayed the night at St. Luke's and David and the big kids stayed at home. Gracie is a proud sister, but I think we'll have to keep an eye on her, cause she thinks she needs to "hold baby Ella" a lot. Peter wasn't too sure what to think of the whole thing. He mostly doesn't understand why mommy can't hold him all the time. But he has been very gentle with her, and likes to touch her soft hair, and cheeks.
We're happy to be home and resting, and so so happy to add more joy to our little family.
Ella means fearless - and I believe it will be prophetic for her. Lord, bless her with fearless faith, boldness in word and deed , and abundant joy!